MEAT MATTERS CONSUMER’S GUIDE TO THE MEAT CASE

CONSUMER’S GUIDE

What to have for dinner? Which cut of meat would be best? More than 150 different cuts of beef, pork and lamb are sold in grocery store meat cases. But these bountiful selections can translate into confusion for some consumers. Regional and local differences in the names used for cuts can further complicate meat purchase decisions.

According to the American Meat Institute in Washington, DC, carrying a simple chart in your pocket can help consumers make good selections at the meat case and ensure an enjoyable eating experience.

Different cooking methods should be used depend- ing on a meat cut’s natural tenderness and its lean/ fat content. The three major types of cooking are dry heat, moist heat and combination cooking.

Dry Heat Cooking is best for naturally tender cuts of meat. This technique uses hot air or fat to transfer heat to the food. Dry heat cookery results in meats with a rich flavor caused by browning and allowing surface sugars to caramelize. Dry heat cooking does not have a tenderizing effect, so meats cooked by dry heat techniques should be naturally tender or mari- nated for an appropriate period of time in a tenderizing marinade.

Dry heat methods include: • Roasting • Grilling • Broiling • Pan-Broiling • Sautéing • Stir Frying

Moist Heat Cooking is ideal for inherently less tender cuts of meat. Steam, water or other liquids are used to transfer heat to the food. Moist heat methods are used to develop tenderness and to emphasize natural food flavors.

TO THE MEAT CASE

To achieve tenderness, meats are gently cooked at low temperatures from one to several hours.

Moist heat cooking procedures include simmering and slow cooking.

Combination Cooking uses both dry heat and moist heat procedures. Meats are first seared or browned in hot fat, then covered and slowly cooked in liquids over low heat. Less tender and typically less expen- sive meats benefit from combination cooking meth- ods as the moisture slowly penetrates the meat and softens the connective tissues. The dishes usually have hearty flavors.

Combination cooking techniques include braising and stewing.

Marinades are often used in combination with dry heat cooking. Marinades, which contain an acidic ingredient (such as wine, vinegar, citrus juice) or a natural tenderizing enzyme (found in papaya, ginger, pineapple, kiwi, figs) help break down the muscles and tissues of inherently less tender meat cuts. After marinating, the meat may be cooked by a dry heat method.

For nutrition information, visit www.meatpoultrynutrition.org

For meat safety information, visit www.meatsafety.org

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KNOW YOUR BEEF CUTS 4

LOCATION RECOMMENDED COOKING METHODS Approved Terms Marketplace Fanciful Roast Grill or Marinate & Panbroil Stir Fry Braise Slow Cooker +

for Beef Cuts* and Regional Names Broil Grill or Broil or Saute

Chuck 7-Bone Pot Roast a a Chuck Roast, Boneless Chuck Pot Roast a a *Shoulder Pot Roast, Boneless a a Arm Pot Roast a a Cross Rib Pot Roast Cross Rib Roast,

Shoulder Clod a a Chuck Eye Roast a a a Chuck Steak, Boneless a a Chuck Eye Steak, Boneless a a *Shoulder Steak, Boneless a a a *Shoulder Center Ranch Steak a *Shoulder Petite Tender a a *Shoulder Petite Tender Medallions a Shoulder Top Top Blade Steak, Blade Blade Steak Steak,Top Chuck Steak a a a Flat Iron Steak a a a Rib Roast, Large End a Rib Roast, Small End Loin End a Rib Roast, Whole, Standing Prime Rib a

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Rib Steak Market Steak, Spencer Steak a a Rib Eye Roast, Bone-in a Rib Eye Roast, Boneless a Rib Eye Steak, Delmonico Steak, Spencer Boneless Steak, Market Steak a a a Back Ribs a a a Porterhouse Steak a a *T-Bone Steak a a *Top Loin Steak, Strip Steak, Kansas City Boneless Strip Steak, New York

Strip Steak a a a *Top Loin Steak Boneless Club Steak,

Ambassador Steak, Shell Steak a a

Top Loin Roast Shell Roast, NY Strip Roast a *Tenderloin Roast Filet Mignon Roast a *Tenderloin Steak Filet Mignon, Fillet Steak,

Chateaubriand a a a Sirloin Steak Double Bone/Flat Bone

Steak, Round Bone Steak, Pin or Hip Bone Steak, Wedge Bone Steak a a a a

*Top Sirloin Steak, Sirloin Butt Steak, Boneless London Broil a a a a a

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KNOW YOUR BEEF CUTS (cont.) 6

LOCATION Approved Terms

Marketplace Fanciful

RECOMMENDED COOKING METHODS Roast Grill or Marinate & Panbroil

Stir Fry

Braise

Slow Cooker +

for Beef Cuts* and Regional Names Broil Grill or Broil or Saute *Tri Tip Roast Triangle-Tip Roast a a a *Tri Tip Steak Culotte,Triangle Steak a a a *Top Round Steak London Broil a a a a *Top Round Roast a a *Bottom Round Steak Western Griller a a a a *Bottom Round Roast a a a *Eye of Round Steak Eye Steak a a a *Eye of Round Roast a a Round Rump Roast Rump Roast a a a *Round Steak a a a Round Steak, Tenderized Cube Steak a a *Round Tip Steak a *Round Tip Roast a *Sirloin Tip Center Roast a *Sirloin Tip Center Steak a a *Sirloin Tip Side Steak a *Shank Cross-Cut a a *Brisket Flat Cut Brisket, Boneless a a

a a a a a a a a a

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*Flank Steak Jiffy Steak, Flank Steak Filet, London Broil

Flank Steak Rolls Skirt Steak Fajita Meat,

Philadelphia Steak a a Ground Beef a a a a (* 95% lean ground beef) Baked in

casseroles

Beef Sausage a a a a (from ground beef) Baked in

casseroles

Boneless Stew Beef May be cut from chuck, brisket, rib, or plate a a sections

Cubes for Kabobs May be cut from round section a a a

Short Ribs May be cut from chuck, rib or plate sections a a

* NOTE: LEAN BEEF CUTS These cuts meet government guidelines for “lean” and are based on cooked servings with visible fat trimmed. Lean is defined as less than 10 grams of total fat, 4.5 grams saturated fat, less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per serving and per 100 grams (3.5 ounces).

References: + Refer to manufacturer ’s directions The Beef Checkoff Uniform Retail Meat Identity Standards (Used URMIS approved terms) Webster’s New World Dictionary of Culinary Arts

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KNOW YOUR CUTS OF PORK 8

LOCATION RECOMMENDED COOKING METHODS Approved Terms Marketplace Fanciful Roast Grill Marinate & Panbroil Broil Stir Fry Braise Slow for Pork Cuts* and Regional Names Grill or Broil & Saute Cooker +

Shoulder Butt Boston Butt Roast, Blade Boston Roast, Boston Shoulder a a a

Bone-in Blade Roast a a a Boneless Blade Roast (BRT) a a a Blade Steak Pork Steaks

7-Rib Cut a a a a Picnic Shoulder Arm Roast a a Arm Picnic Roast Picnic Shoulder

Arm Roast a a Smoked Picnic a a Shoulder Blade End Country-Style Ribs Country Spare Rib a a a a Fresh Shanks a a Smoked Hocks a a Center Rib Roast Rack of Pork, Center a

Cut Pork Loin Frenched Rib Roast a Crown Rib Roast Loin Crown Roast a

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Sirloin Roast a Boneless Sirloin Roast a Center Loin Roast a Boneless Rib End Roast a Top Loin Roast a a Top Loin Roast Double a Rib Chop a a a a Boneless Center America’s Cut, Loin Chop Center Cut Chop a a a a a Loin Chop a a a a Butterfly Chop a a a a Sirloin Chop a a a Boneless Rib End Chop a a a a a Sirloin Cutlet a a a Smoked Chops a a a a Tenderloin Pork Tender a a a Medallions Filet Mignon a a a a Canadian-Style Bacon a a a Back Ribs Baby Back Ribs a a a a Loin Country-Style Ribs Country Ribs a a a a Spareribs St. Louis-Style Ribs a a a a Slab and Sliced Bacon a a a

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a a a a a a a a a

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KNOW YOUR CUTS OF PORK (cont.)

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LOCATION RECOMMENDED COOKING METHODS Approved Terms Marketplace Fanciful Roast Grill Marinate & Panbroil Broil Stir Fry Braise Slow for Pork Cuts* and Regional Names Grill or Broil & Saute Cooker +

Smoked Ham a Smoked Ham, Shank Portion a Smoked Ham, Smoked Ham Rump Portion Butt Half a Boneless Smoked Ham a Canned Ham a Fresh Boneless Ham Roast a Fresh Leg Pork Fresh Ham a Smoked Ham Pork Leg Steak, Center Slice Center Slice Leg Cutlet a Ham Hock a a Ground Pork From lean pork a a a a

and trimmings Baked in from shoulder casseroles

Sausage Links From lean pork and trimmings, typically from shoulder and a a a a a a loin or from any Baked in fresh cut casseroles

Pork Pieces Typically cut

from the loin a a Cubes for Kabobs From any fresh

pork cut a a a Slices & Strips From any fresh

pork cut a a Pig’s Feet a

References: * National Pork Board * Uniform Retail Meat Identity Standards + Refer to manufacturer ’s directions Webster’s New World Dictionary of Culinary Arts

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KNOW YOUR CUTS OF LAMB 12

LOCATION RECOMMENDED COOKING METHODS Approved Terms for Lamb Cuts*

Marketplace Fanciful and Regional Names

Roast Grill Marinate & Broil Grill or Broil

Panbroil or Saute Braise Slow Cooker +

Boneless & Rolled Shoulder Roast (BRT) a a Pre-Sliced Shoulder a a Saratoga Roast a a Square Cut Shoulder a a Arm Chops Shoulder Chops a a a a Blade Chops a a a a Rack of Lamb Frenched Rib Roast a a Rib Roast a a a Crown Rib Roast Crown Roast a Rib Chops Lamb Chops a a a a a Frenched Rib Chops a a a a a Loin Roast a Tenderloin a Loin Chops a a a a Double Loin Chops a a a a Boneless Loin Strip (BRT) a Medallions a a a a a Noisettes a a a a a Whole Leg of Lamb, with Shank a

Short Cut Leg, Sirloin Off a Shank Portion Roast a Center Leg Roast a American Style Roast a Leg of Lamb, Butterflied a a a a Boneless Leg Roast (BRT) a a a Frenched-Style Leg Roast a Center Slice Leg Steak a a a a Sirloin Chop a a a a a Boneless Sirloin Roast a Top Round Roast a Hindshank Lamb Shanks a a Frenched Hindshank a a Foreshank a a Boneless Rolled Breast a a Lamb Riblets Lamb Rib Tips a a a a a Spareribs Denver Ribs a a a a a Ground Lamb From lean lamb and

trimmings from any a a a a section but typically Baked in shoulder, leg and/or casseroles foreshank sections

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KNOW YOUR CUTS OF LAMB (cont.) 14

LOCATION RECOMMENDED COOKING METHODS Approved Terms Marketplace Fanciful Roast Grill Marinate & Broil Panbroil or Saute Braise Slow for Lamb Cuts* and Regional Names Grill or Broil Cooker +

Lamb Sausage From ground lamb a a a a a Baked in casseroles

Lamb for Stew May be cut from leg or shoulder sections

a a

Cubes for Kabobs May be cut from leg or shoulder sections

a

References: * American Lamb Board * Uniform Retail Meat Identity Standards + Refer to manufacturer ’s directions

Webster’s New World Dictionary of Culinary Arts